South African Cherry Growers Target Lucrative China Market Amid Trade Shift
South African cherry producers gain historic zero-tariff market access to China following a new export protocol signed in Beijing. Discover the impact.
POLICY WIRE — Beijing, China — South African cherry producers have officially secured access to the Chinese market for the very first time following the signing of a landmark export protocol. Agriculture Minister Willie Aucamp finalized the agreement with China’s General Administration of Customs in Beijing.
Ridgee Cherry Farms CEO Gert Eastes noted that local growers have sought this breakthrough for many years, creating a major opportunity for South Africa. Eastes has spent 12 years preparing his operations to break into the Chinese market.
The newly established protocol officially opens China to South African cherries starting from the 2026/27 season. The country currently has 819 hectares planted, boasting rising exports and a strategic two to three-week window ahead of peak Chilean volumes.
As the world’s largest importer of cherries, China brought in approximately 586,900 tonnes of the fruit in 2025. Those imports carried an estimated value of about US$3.3 billion, which translates to R52.8 billion.
The agreement is projected to generate substantial economic opportunities while diversifying South Africa’s export destinations. Beijing’s introduction of a zero-tariff scheme for qualifying South African exports and the new cherry protocol will cut duties through April 2028.
The South African Department of Agriculture anticipates that this expanded market access will stimulate fresh investment into domestic cherry production. Furthermore, officials expect the development to create approximately 600 new jobs across the sector.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
